We have now officially entered Autumn, and with that comes a bounty of produce! We have been able to eat fragrant, juicy tomatoes every day, and John has a regular raid of the plum tree. Courgettes are still going strong and every so often I discover a whopper of a cucumber lurking in the greenhouse. How’s this for a delicious lunch:
Two weeks ago I visited my family in The Netherlands. It was extremely warm weather (not just by Scottish standards but objectively so, 32 degrees C) and my parents and I went to their local community gardens. Apart from the sheer volume of tomatoes in a polytunnel, the memory that will stay with me is a vineyard of red grapes that were FREE to pick, however much we wanted!
They didn’t know how to make wine and it would otherwise all end up on the compost heap. I didn’t think twice but grabbed a bag and held it open while my dad started cutting off bunches of grapes. Back home my mum and I made the most wonderful grape juice. Sitting in the shade at the front of the house, we enjoyed a cool glass for free.
Back home in Aberdeen it’s all hands on deck for the great Apple Picking. As apples are my favourite fruit, I enjoy the challenge of trying to find as many as possible and creating an apple store that will last me all winter.
Our own trees are very productive this year, which helps. I have also filled my bags in Kincardine o’Neil and closer to home near Blacktop and Drumoak. And cycling home from Knockburn last week we found one along the Deeside Way. We went back later with a long stick-with-hook, to pick the ones high up the tree. Caution is advised: one of them fell into my face, nearly taking my front teeth out and leaving me with a huge top lip!
Last but not least, we ate a new fruit. It’s pretty special as I’ve been wanting to eat one for ages but never felt brave enough. What am I talking about….? The yew!
I recorded a video today, explaining how to eat the fruit. Apologies for the weird camera angle that makes my face look out of proportion 😆
And so the foraging continues… into Autumn where we might still come across more apples. Then there will be hedgehog mushrooms and porcelain fungus to enjoy. Every season our Shire fills our tummies with abundance and our souls with delight!
The healthy forager 